Dear gents,

Having quitted my job and with some free months in prospect, I'm thinking about doing a loooooong trip around Europe (>8000 miles).
No waypoints or routes fixed so far, but one could think of, for example: Alps - Adriatic Sea - Greece - South Italy - ferry to North Africa - back to Europe via Gibraltar ferry - Atlantic coast trip Portugal/Spain/France and - if possible - a side trip to the UK to Coventry

As I will take along quite a bit of stuff (tent, hiking and camping gear, tools, maybe some spare parts) and above all my dog (1,5 ft shoulder height), the storage space in the x308 is quite limited.

To free up some space I'm thinking about removing the passenger seat for that time. This would allow my dog to ride shotgun so that I can use the rear seats for some additional stowage (as my dog normally occupies both back seats).

I didn't try it so far, but I reckon I'll trigger a DTC and the MIL if I just unplug the passenger seat.

Is there any possibility to either simulate or deactivate the side airbag as I don't want to have the MIL illuminated for the whole trip? I'm aware of the possibility to deactivate the passenger's airbag (when carrying a baby on the seat) and how to retrofit it, but this does affect the side airbag too or works if the seat is removed?!
I would very much like to avoid to discuss the falshing/illuminated airbag MIL with customs in Tunesia, Algeria etc.

Cheers and best regards, Alexander

 

You can install a 'shunt-kit' in each of the SRS connectors. (Side airbag & Seatbelt pretensioner)

The simulator connector can be made from old used SRS plugs with a 2.5 OHM resistor.

Jaguar issued some simulators for diagnosis, but they can be installed temporarily.

When diagnosing faults with SRS system, please note that you can monitor the resistance of most airbags with WDS data logger utilizing version 19. You will need to install simulators # 418-395 (blue for smaller connectors) or 105R0012 (red for larger connectors) to see if resistance value returns to normal and/or code can be cleared. (Both are available, through SPX or Rotunda)

Jaguar did issue a way to de-activate the passenger airbag on the XK8 but I have never done this.
Here is a TSB for some info.

bob

 

Thanks Bob!

This is awesome! I ordered a used seat harness right away and will report back as soon as I fitted the modified connector.

As the belt pretensioner is located in the B-pillar I'll leave it there and untouched so that I only have to modify the passenger's seat side airbag. Or do I miss anything else what can possibly can go wrong when removing the seat?

Cheers and best regards, Alexander

 

If I remember correctly, it is illegal in Germany to do so without it being written in the papers. You would need the TÜV to note into the Fahrzeugschein. Especially because ypu are reducing the searing number from 5 to 4 and that also requires an alteration in the vehicle papers. A friend had some issues doing this with his Volvo S40. Converted to a ring tool to make it as light as possible...

 

@Daim, but if this was a temporary thing and reversible, with the car in any country but Germany for the time the seat is out the car, surely this isn't an issue?

@Alexander - what a trip, I hope you do it and blog it on here, would love to see an update thread if you go for it, good luck

 

@Daim: Thanks for pointing that out. Will check this with the TÜV next month or so.

@SeanB: I'd love to do both the trip and to set up some updates for the forum. Guess there never had been any pics of a x308 in the african desert, mmh?

Since it's just the start of doing plans there are quite a lot of things to consider and to research. First of all it might fail on legal grounds because of the dog. As soon as I leave Europe for North Africa, it's getting serious with regard to health certificates, vaccinations, imminent quarantine etc etc.

If necessary I'll skip the North African part and stay within the borders of Europe :-)

Plus: my girlfriend just might have stepped into the ring too, as she's now considering to take a time-out too :-) So maybe no need to remove the passenger seat...let's see what path this will take.

Cheers, Alexander

 

Oh, you don't know what it's like... Be happy you live in Britain.

As Alex would need to drive through Germany to get out of Germany, it starts there. To drive legally with the seat out, he'd need the passenger side airbag removed. Meaning either bridging it or properly removing it all and reprogramming the ECU.

This would need an approval via a TÜV official and then a marking into he vehicle papers. Both costs money. Every alteration costs about €50 plus papers being corrected by the local vehicle registration office. So about €100 later, you have a car with 4 seats.

When back, you need it reaproved, papers corrected again and then you are good to go. Again, after paying around €100.

The easiest thing to do would be drive out of the country and store the seat somewhere outside the country and, when coming back, refitting it abroad. Then it is no problem.

​​​​​